ACROSS ENEMY LINES - PART I, The War Within
by Stella
Summary: Finally a new chapter, co-authored with the Black Rose this time around. This is an AU story set in Europe during WWII-- five soldiers go back and forth across the enemy lines... "Germany will take this kingdom, Relena. You're being foolish if you don
1. The First Crossing

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes were the stars

Ok, our sincerest apologies for the re-post, but it was brought to our attention that some of the German (though we tried – we really did!) wasn't right.So, now it is.But, we've added a little PREVIEW of Chapter 2 at the end to make up for having to do this.Thanks for understanding!And thanks to Diana for her help!Stella & Luvspook

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Well, it was only a matter of time!Yes, we have finally collaborated on a fic, and it's going to be a bit of an epic!

Author's Notes: Just a quick couple of notes before we get started.This story is the first of our shared works. It is an alternate universe fic based loosely on events and locations named during the course of WWII. We have taken a few liberties in expressing our own version of the war, manipulating facts to work the characters in, but it is not our intention to offend or upset anyone (especially of German or Japanese nationality), and we stress that this is fiction, though we do try to be as accurate as we can where the very important facts are concerned. We apologize in advance for whatever ignorance we may show throughout the course of our little project. 

Also, due to the complicated task of deciphering the German phrases, we have placed MOST of the words that would normally appear in German, into English italicized print. This way, you can understand what the Nazi soldiers are saying, and you aren't forced to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to find out what the words really mean.

Oh yes… Disclaimer: We, the Sisters of Sadism, the Goddesses of Pain (and all the other titles people have bestowed upon us), do solemnly swear to do our best to torture Heero and the G-boys, while delivering a healthy dosage of Heero/Relena romance to you, our loyal readers. But, sadly we must confess…**sniffle, sniffle**…we do not own Gundam Wing or its characters. But if you want to know what we'd do to them if we did, just keep reading!

Well, we suppose that about covers it…please read on, and enjoy!

ACROSS ENEMY LINES

By: Stella & Luvspook

"The world turns and the world changes,

But one thing does not change.

In all of my years, one thing does not change.

However you disguise it, this thing does not change:

The perpetual struggle between Good and Evil."

---T.S. Eliot

Western Europe, June 1944, A.D.

Just after the Allied landing at Normandy (D-Day)

Part I, Chapter 1

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes were the stars. The night was still and quiet, and they twinkled blissfully above him, blotted out in patches by the canopy of trees that he had come to rest beneath. He lay very still trying to gauge his surroundings, his ears being met with nothing but the sounds of a light breeze stirring the branches around him as he slowly became aware of the increasingly fiery ache his left side. With a great amount of effort, he slid a trembling hand towards the site of the pain, feeling the torn flesh and catching some of the hot sticky liquid that was flowing out of the wound. Raising a hand to his face, he could see the glint of red in the pale moonlight. 'Blood. My blood.' Gritting his teeth, he struggled to sit up, thankful that he was at least still able to move. He let a groan escape his lips in spite of himself as he slid towards the tree trunk just a few feet away, the dead leaves of the forest floor rustling and sticking to him, cemented with his blood. Gasping for breath, he struggled to remove his jacket, madly searching with no success for the small first aid kit they had all been issued. But then he heard them. Voices. Footsteps crashing through the brush. And he saw them – dark shadows emerging from the trees, the silhouettes of rifles and helmets gaining ground, threatening to discover him. Automatically, his right hand flew to his back, searching for the pistol he always kept in his waistband. Not there! He must have lost it when they crashed. Keeping his eyes trained on the approaching soldiers, he let one of his hands rove over the ground, hoping that the pistol might have fallen nearby. The two shadows were coming closer, ever closer – had they seen him? They had. One of them pointed in his direction, and when they were almost upon him, his free hand made contact with the familiar cold metal. A resounding "click" echoed from the edge of the clearing as the two dark shapes drew nearer. They stopped at the sight of the young man leaning against the tree, rigidly holding a pistol, aiming right at them with an outstretched arm, while the other arm was wrapped protectively against his side. 

"Is that you, Heero?" The gun was lowered at sound of kind and familiar voice. One of the shadows stepped closer, and Heero looked up to see the red cross on the helmet of the young medic he had met earlier that day on the transport. Quatre knelt down beside his comrade and proceeded to dig through the bag of supplies he carried. "Try not to move," the calm voice instructed further while he retrieved bandages and tape. Looking to the other soldier who stood nearby, Quatre raised his hand. "Trowa, would you?" The tall figure stepped into the light, his face partially hidden by the long bangs sweeping over his eyes. He reached out to take hold of the bandages while Quatre examined and cleaned Heero's wound. "This is going sting," the medic warned as he applied the iodine to the gash. To his surprise, Heero remained stoic, showing only tolerance for what must have been a searing discomfort. "It needs stitches," Quatre said out loud, half to himself and half to his patient. "I don't have anything to numb the area, so I'll have to give you morphine. It'll leave you pretty tired, so we'll just camp here toni-...."

"Do it, I don't need the drugs," came the reply, dark and toneless.

"What?" Quatre questioned, squinting through the darkness to read the face of the man he was trying to help.

"I don't need the drugs, just sew me up," Heero all but growled, "And do it fast – the enemy could have our location by now. Do either of you have our coordinates?"

Trowa spoke up for the first time, his perpetually calm voice showing no hint of the urgency of their situation. "The plane's navigation system was damaged when we took the hit over Luxembourg. We spiraled due east, but it's anyone's guess as to how far. I tried everything I could think of to get the radio working, but the communications system was gone along with everything else." The young man paused for a moment, watching Heero take a deep breath, set his jaw and close his eyes as Quatre commenced to work a needle through his skin. Trowa averted his eyes from the site, and scanned the clearing, looking for any more signs of life. "Everyone in and around the plane was dead. I'm beginning to think we were the only three survivors." Quatre shook his head in response to Trowa's comment, obviously saddened by the magnanimous loss of life and equally bewildered as to how just the three of them had been spared out of the seventy-nine on the transport plane.

"Done," Quatre said, sounding relieved. "Bandages, Trowa, please..." 

Heero rose shakily to his feet, again clutching his side. Retrieving a compass from his belt, he held it up to the moonlight. "We should keep heading west. That will get us to back into France if we've crossed the enemy lines." The others nodded in compliance and turned to set off towards the west when a loud blast shook the ground and echoed through the trees. Guns were drawn as the three men stood in a circle, covering their position from all sides. 

"Could they have found us already?" Quatre asked, his eyes moving rapidly across the dark terrain as the moon disappeared behind the clouds. Rustling noises caught their attention, and they turned towards a grove of trees. A lone figure came to a halt just outside of the woods, and scrambled to draw a gun after noticing the three men in the clearing.

The silent stand-off lasted for only a few seconds when Trowa called out, "Drop your weapon." There was no response, the dark figure stood still and the rifle stayed raised and aimed. "I said to drop your weapon._Waffe herunterfallen lassen_," Trowa repeated in perfect German. Still no response, and the guns stayed drawn. Heero looked curiously at the shadow a few feet away from them, staring intently for quite some time. Finally he was sure.

"Duo?" he called out impatiently, putting his gun away. Trowa and Quatre looked on as Heero limped towards the mysterious shadow.

"I said, DUO!" Heero called out, now just a few feet away from the man as he lowered his gun.

"Oh, Heero, buddy!" Duo shouted. "I should've known that if anyone was going to survive that crash, it would've been you!"

"What happened back there?" Heero asked, motioning behind the braided soldier, back in the direction of the mangled transport plane.

"What was that?" Duo continued to yell. "I was packing some extra explosives and I dropped a land mine so now my ears are ringing. You'll have to speak up!"

"Figures..." Heero muttered without a backwards glance, leading the way towards the west.

They walked all night, stopping only briefly to allow Quatre to change Heero's bandages and check Duo's ears. "The eardrum is still in tact. The ringing will go away in a few more hours."

"WHAT?!"

"You'll be fine," Quatre stated.

"HUH?!"

"Keep walking," Heero pressed.

They stopped again just as the first light of the dawn was peaking through the trees. All four of them looked battered and exhausted, but Quatre was most concerned for the dark haired man resting against the nearby stream. Regardless of how much he had tried to mask it, pain welled more and more in his deep blue eyes as each hour wore on, and now he sat struggling to breathe while he leaned over to splash some cool water on his face.

"Heero," Quatre said quietly, removing his helmet and lowering himself to the edge of the water to do likewise. "I should really change those dressings again."

"I'm fine," was the brusque reply.

Quatre reached out and put his hand on his comrade's burning forehead. "Heero, you have a fever. I'm afraid an infection is setting in."

A gunshot resounded through the woods, and like lightening, the enemy was upon them and chaos ensued.

" Hier druben! Schnell! Schnell!"

"They found us," Trowa said, drawing his gun and firing at the trees. A group of men came into view – tan shirts, swastikas on their armbands and hats. Glancing around, Trowa noticed that Heero seemed to have disappeared.

"Hande aufheben!"

"Auf die knien!"

"Kneel! Now!"

In the confusion, it was difficult to distinguish the exact number of German troops that were now rushing toward them from the surrounding woods. Panic coursed through the young American soldiers as a slew of enemy voices barked orders at each of them in turn, raising their high-caliber rifles to accentuate their control.

Quatre's eyes traced the source and direction of the enemy's approach, turning back to find that his wounded comrade had somehow managed to slip away unnoticed. Any attempts to do the same would undoubtedly get him shot, he knew, so he placed a silent thought of prayer to his lips that Heero wouldn't attempt anything too foolish in his current state. 

"_Hold it right there!_" The enemy screamed in their course foreign tongue, silencing the young medic's concerns for his comrade as several soldiers trained their weapons on him from the top of the bank. "_Don't move!_" He felt rough hands encircle his arms on both sides, jerking him forward so sharply that he lost his footing in the soft, muddy riverbed. He could only assume from their reaction and the tone of their voices, that they considered his movements to be some form of resistance, and soon resorted to dragging him forward, his knees scraping painfully across the rocky terrain. 

Quatre winced as the two men threw him to the ground in the center of the clearing, his left shoulder connecting sharply with the splintered rock and rough dirt of the forest floor. Looking to the others, his eyes met with the well-disguised fear in their own, as they were forced to their knees before the half dozen Germans now leveling gun barrels in their faces. As he lifted himself from the dirt, the cold touch of steel embraced the base of his neck, and Quatre suddenly found himself praying to whatever God might be listening that their death would at least be quick.

* * * * *

The cold air seemed to attack him as soon as he had managed to lift himself safely out of the water, and he shivered unintentionally as he moved stiffly for his weapon. He could hear shouting in the distance and quickly ascertained that he had traveled downstream, a good 500 feet or so from where the others had been captured. 

Slipping into the shadows of the thick undergrowth, he swallowed hard, forcing the pain and chill from his mind as he cut a path through the trees to attack the enemy from behind. He imagined that the forces they were now facing would amount to little more than a small reconnaissance party who had either happened on the crash site by chance, or been routinely scouting out the area for its strategic value. Regardless of the reason, though, he knew all too well what fate the others would meet if he didn't do something. 

Reaching the crest of a small ridge along the riverside, he worked his way back to where they had encountered the enemy troops, slowing his pace as the sound of footsteps crunched through the brush just in front of him. Instinctively, his fingers pulled the standard issued army knife from his right boot, twisting the darkened blade in his grip, as he stealthily closed in on the unsuspecting soldier from behind. The rifle fell from the German's loose grasp as Heero's blade severed his throat in an unimaginably swift motion, spraying the foliage in a crimson shower before he could even utter a sound. All struggle abruptly left the boy's body and he slumped forward, Heero quick to lower the dead soldier to the ground at his feet, making certain that the noise did not alert the others laying a short distance beyond. Rummaging through whatever sparse belongings he could find on the body, Heero kept his eyes on the surrounding trees, scouring the area for the slightest sign of movement.

Adrenaline was surging wildly through his veins, the strong scent of danger flooding his senses with fear and exhilaration as he removed a folded slip of paper from the soldier's breast pocket. Smeared with splotches of dirt and fresh blood, the words on the map were decidedly difficult to decipher, as were the other encrypted transmissions which would have to be broken by the Allied forces once they reached Luxembourg.

Turning his attention back to the map now laying on the ground, his eyes settled on the decisive black scrawling along the German border, as well as those suggested within the borders of their target site. Each bold hand-drawn symbol was easily recognizable to Heero as he set to the task of memorizing the locations presently under enemy control; unit types and sizes, noteworthy military branches and heavy artillery, even possible attack plans. He swallowed thickly as he traced their approximate location to somewhere just beyond the enemy lines. It was the last thing he saw before the German soldiers set upon him from behind…

* * * * *

Quatre struggled to prevent anyone from noticing the persistent tremble that seemed to be coursing through his limbs, listening intently to the whispers of the German soldiers standing just behind him. To his surprise, the bullet he had long expected to take his life still hadn't come, and he now saw other American prisoners being escorted into the clearing, obviously members of the transport unit who somehow survived the crash, still numbering only three in all.

He cringed inwardly as he examined the three young men from across the clearing, all of whom had sustained extensive injuries from both the crash, and at the hands of the enemy who had ambushed them. Two of the younger boys had jet-black hair, and were obviously of Chinese descent; the other was slightly older, with deep auburn hair that peeked out from beneath the excessive layers of blood and dirt. One of the Chinese boys was virtually being half-dragged, half-carried by the other, his wounds far more severe than the two soldiers beside him, who were still able to walk under their own power.

Quatre felt his heart lurch painfully inside the confines of his chest as he watched the three stumble into view, coerced into movement by several well-placed jabs from behind. The attempt to rise to his feet was instantly rewarded, as the butt of an assault rifle struck the back of his knees, and he once again found himself on the receiving end of a gun barrel, his pain chased away by the sudden fear of death. Duo and Trowa watched helplessly, not wanting to add fuel to the fire, as a particularly burly looking German soldier stepped forward. He scrutinized each of them for several minutes, before examining the dog tags around their necks, taking a particular interest in the fair-haired boy at the forefront of everyone's attention. 

"You are American doctor." The man said sharply, his accent thick, despite the fact that he was speaking in English. Quatre did his best to remain stoic and expressionless as the man approached his side, this time speaking to him in his native tongue.

"_Sprechen sie Deutsch?_" He questioned, calmly, studying the boy for some sort of reaction. Quatre responded with only a slight shake of his head, knowing little else of the German language other than the question the man had just asked him.

"_What about your friends here? Shall I ask them?_" He continued in his native tongue as Quatre mentally sorted through his limited German vocabulary, finding that he only understood the word "freund," for friend.

"And you - _Und ihnen?_" He asked, stepping over to where Duo and Trowa sat complacent. "_Can you understand me, American? Or must I make your friend here bleed to loosen your tongue?_"

Trowa stiffened at the clear intent shining in the German officer's dark eyes, as several of his men began to laugh. "I understand. Ich verstehen." Trowa stated, icily, his eyes narrowing on their stout interrogator with borderline venom.

"_Then perhaps we should see how well you bleed instead…_" 

A flurry of commotion diverted the soldiers' attention, as well as that of their six prisoners, who also fought to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

Quatre gasped audibly as his eyes were met with the visage of the mysterious boy he had stitched up after the crash being pulled roughly into the fray of soldiers. The left side of his face was coated in a thin sheen of crimson, the blood still flowing in fresh trails from the gash above his eye which was just barely visible beneath his disheveled locks. His hands were bound together in front of him, and his captors threw him to his knees before the commanding officer, as though their prisoner were some sort of sacrificial offering or trophy. One of the men who had brought him in began whispering to the interrogator, as the other shoved Heero forward, planting his face into the ground.

"_He put up some resistance…_" The young soldier grinned, kicking his prisoner squarely in the side. Heero's eyes closed and he winced, but refused to give the enemy the satisfaction of crying out in pain.

Trowa could barely make out the snippets of dialogue passing between the other two men, but knew that it had something to do with a German convoy, sensitive intelligence reports, and a small country located just to the South. He figured that whatever it was they were discussing, though, Heero would suffer greatly for happening upon that information, even if he had no idea what it is he had or hadn't actually seen. Confirmation to that came only seconds later as two of their captors picked up the limp and bleeding Heero, while the burly German in command coyly stepped up to face the defiant young soldier.

"_How much did you see?_" He inquired tersely, almost smiling in delight at the fact that Heero refused to answer.

With a subtle nod of prompting from their leader, one of the two soldiers who had captured him stepped forward while the other held him, landing a vicious blow to Heero's already wounded side with the butt of his gun. Duo and Trowa both averted their gaze, not wishing to encourage any further abuses with their show of concern, as Heero gritted his teeth and collapsed to the ground. Quatre, however, took advantage of the brief distraction to jump to his feet, intent on helping his felled comrade, in fear that the soldiers would beat him to death if he didn't intervene.

A modest pool of blood had already started to form below him by the time Quatre could reach his side, the thick ropes making it impossible to form any kind of seal against the unrelenting flow. The German commander looked down in mild amusement at the huddled figures at his feet, smiling sadistically as the order to move out fell from his lips. First interrogations at the base camp, and then if they survived, on to the nearest prison camp.

Quatre managed to move the bindings aside after several minutes of struggling, only to find that all the neatly sewn stitches had been torn in Heero's efforts of resistance. The medic closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, not daring to wonder if their situation could possibly be worse. 

"Auf! Up! Up!" One of the Germans nudged Quatre with the tip of a rifle, motioning that they were expected to get up and start walking. Trowa and Duo moved to where Heero lay and bent down, each taking one of his arms as the company began to move. The prisoners walked in silence and Trowa listened intently to the conversations of his captors.

"…_wounded ones will slow us down. Why don't we just shoot them now!"_

_"They might have information that we need. The last telegram from Berlin was not good news; Normandy is lost. We need all enemy intelligence that we can get. We can beat it out of them when we reach the camp."_

Trowa let out a long sigh. They would be kept alive, for now. He looked over to the man he was helping to carry. Heero's head lolled from side to side with each step they took, yet his eyes were open, and they met Trowa's for an instant. "He's looking for a way out of this," Trowa thought to himself. "Aren't we all?"

* * * * *

The commander threw his water canteen at the head of the nearest officer and set off on another tirade of German expletives. "What's the problem, Trowa?" Quatre whispered, keeping one eye warily on the men nearest to the fire. They had stopped for the night and the officers had met to go over their location when all the shouting started.

"We're lost," Trowa stated, a hint of disbelief permeating his voice. "They can't find our position on any of their maps, and no one seems to have a compass." A snort and even a bit of a chuckle came from the braided man sitting across from them.

"What do you know about this, Duo?" Quatre asked, looking up from the strips of cotton he was tearing from his shirt to use as bandages for Heero and the other wounded soldiers.

"Let's just say that I didn't grow up on the streets of New York without learning a few tricks from the pick pockets."

"You didn't!" Quatre asked, wide-eyed. "But when did you get the chance to…?"

"A master never shares his secrets," Duo chided, smiling triumphantly. Each time he'd had the opportunity throughout the day, he'd walked beside a different one of his captors. With all of the commotion that came with cutting a path through the forest, it hadn't been much effort to lift compasses, knives and even bullets that were hanging loosely on utility belts. Before they were the wiser, the Germans had become hopelessly lost in the thick woods of southern Europe.

"So, you'd rather have us die wandering around out here then?" a harsh voice hissed from behind them. One of the other prisoners that been brought to the last camp had been listening to their whole conversation.

"I'd rather die out here than in some Nazi work camp, wouldn't you?" Duo asked, regarding the man curiously. The strange soldier noticed the way that Duo was looking at him and became even more rigid, if that were possible.

"My name is Wufei Chang. And yes, I was born in America," he spat, obviously self-conscious about his Asian appearance. Everyone he had ever been stationed with had questioned his loyalties because of the other enemies that came from across the Pacific and had started off the war with the vicious Pearl Harbor bombing. "We are not Japanese. My family came from China. And I have just as much to fight for as you do." Wufei cast a glance downward at the sleeping man that Quatre was tending to. "Yuy – now that's Japanese if I ever heard it. Have you asked him what HE'S doing here? Spying maybe?"

Duo glared at the Chinamen, a streak of anger coursing through him. "I've worked with him before. There's no question that he's on our side," he growled through clenched teeth. "How dare you…."

"Be quiet! Sich beruhigen!" Their guard shouted holding out his rifle threateningly. The prisoners lapsed into silence and stared at the ground, the only noise was that of ripping material as Quatre continued to make bandages.

Several hours had passed and the camp settled down for the night, the German commander having given up on finding their location. Duo, resting against a rock, opened one of his eyes slightly to take in the scene. Eleven men slept by the fire, and one man guarded them now – and he was looking pretty drowsy… Quatre was hunched over his patients, their captors had been merciful enough to untie his hands so that he could see to the wounded. One of the men, Duo had learned, was the badly injured brother of that obnoxious Wufei guy; the red-head was named Marcus – he seemed to be sleeping, and Trowa was scribbling something in a little notebook while he held it up to the moonlight in a vain attempt to see the pages. They could run now, but would they really get anywhere? And there was no way that Heero or Wufei's brother were going to be able to walk, let alone run. And who was to say what the Germans would do to the rest of the prisoners if they found one had escaped – Duo couldn't swallow the thought of the other guys getting shot over something he had done. Apparently, Marcus hadn't taken much of anything into consideration, because moments later, he stood up and started at a mad dash through the woods. Their guard jumped up, surprised, in order to give chase. He didn't have to go far, as Marcus tripped over a stump just a few feet away and fell to the ground. He scrambled to his feet, casting a terrified glance over his shoulder, but it was too late. The German guard raised his rifle, and a loud crack resonated through the trees. One shot and it was all over; Marcus lie dead, a pool of dark red seeping out of the back of his head. With that, the braided soldier closed his eyes and tried to make himself as comfortable as he could. "Time to think of Plan B," he told himself as the exhaustion overtook him.

* * * * *

"Stop right there!" A woman's voice shouted, snapping Duo from his slumber. He awoke, squinting in the hazy pre-dawn light, to find the camp surrounded by people wearing blue uniforms that he didn't recognize. They seemed to be pointing their weapons at the Germans, Duo noted, not to mention the fact that they outnumbered the enemy two to one. "Please be on our side," he begged in his mind.

"You have entered neutral territory," the woman continued, "You will discard your weapons and line up to be escorted to the border."

"I'll take neutral," Duo thought, and watched as the enemy troops, taken by surprise, raised their arms in a show of submission.

The German commander stepped forward, addressing the woman in broken English. "We go, but the prisoners are ours. They come, too."

A blue-clad soldier walked past where Duo and his comrades sat, and made his way towards the woman who seemed to be in charge.

"Miss Sally, two of the prisoners appear to be badly injured, and we found one shot just right outside the camp."

Sally looked towards the group of disheveled men sitting a few yards away, and then glared disapprovingly at the commander. "Those prisoners are now under sanctuary in the Sanq Kingdom. You will leave, and you will leave without them." The three men that stood behind her aimed their guns at the commander to emphasize their lady's point.

The commander looked as if he intended to argue at first, but then seemed to think better of it, and let himself be led out of the clearing, his troops falling in behind him flanked by the guards of the Sanq Kingdom.

Sally tossed a brown braid over her shoulder and turned in the direction of the prisoners.

Duo, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei stood up in order to meet the woman who had become their liberator. "My name is Sally Po," she said, addressing them kindly. "And you are now in the Sanq Kingdom. We are not involved in the war, so you are free and safe within our borders. It looks like you all could do with some food and a good night's sleep. How are those two doing?" She asked, pointing to where Heero and Wufei's brother, Li, lay pale and unconscious.

Quatre stepped forward. "Their wounds are very serious. They need a hospital." Sally looked at him doubtfully. "At least a bed and a warm room – clean water and bandages, some medicine and room for me to work."

"That we can do," Sally promised, looking the two over for herself. "I'm a doctor as well, and there isn't much we can do for them right here. Let's move them out!" she ordered to the men behind her. The Sanq guards placed Heero and Li on stretchers and carried them carefully through the woods. After an hour of walking, they were met with the welcome site of transport vehicles. Duo nearly stopped in his tracks when he caught a glimpse of a girl walking around the side of one of the trucks. She wore a simple yet elegant gray suit with a slim skirt that flared out at mid-calf, and a jacket buttoned around her tiny waist. A waterfall of honey blonde hair cascaded down her back, held tightly in a pale blue silk ribbon. Standing next to the army green trucks, she looked beautiful… and completely out of place.

"Miss Relena?" Sally asked, her tone one of mixed shock and disapproval. "What on earth are you doing out here! You should never be this close to the border!"

"I was told that Nazi troops had entered the Sanq Kingdom. My brother knows better than that."

"It wasn't Milliardo, or 'Zechs' as he's calling himself these days," Sally replied, walking up to the young woman. "It was just a recon party that got lost. They're on their way out, but these fellows here are Americans – they were prisoners, and two of them aren't in the best of shape."

Relena walked towards the haggard group of men standing behind Sally. Pity shone in her eyes as she looked them over. "My name is Relena Peacecraft, and I am sovereign of this nation. You can rest here as long as you like under my protection." The four men nodded gratefully as Sally motioned for them to step up into the transport trucks. Duo looked back to see Relena lower herself to the ground beside where the guards had set the stretchers down until they made room in the trucks. The girl rested a hand on Heero's forehead, which made him stir. She cradled his head in her arms, gently pushing back his blood and sweat-dampened locks. Relena searched his features, noting that he looked unlike any man she had ever seen before. Though smudged with dirt and blood, his face was handsome and strong, despite a ghostly pallor which left his skin looking nearly gray. "Oh…" Relena let out a gasp as she saw an open gash on one of his arms. She took the starched white handkerchief out of her jacket pocket and pressed it over the wound, hoping it would stop the flow of blood. Looking around her for some sort of bandage, she found nothing until she pulled the blue ribbon from her hair and tied it around Heero's forearm.

"We're ready to load him, Your Highness," one of the guards said politely. Men moved to either end of the stretcher when Relena saw the young soldier's eyes begin to flutter.

"He's waking up…" A sweet voice resonated in his ears, and he could swear that he had caught the scent of roses. All he could feel was a dull ache in his side, radiating through his body so entirely to the point where he wouldn't dare endeavor to try and move, but it seemed to ebb away at the new sensation of the softest touch on his forehead – so comforting, that touch. Heero struggled to force his eyelids open, the light of the morning sun blinding him at first. But then her face came into focus, smiling kindly at him as her long blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders and swirled in the breeze. 

The sun shone, making a halo of light behind her head, and Heero wondered for an instant if he had in fact died, and the being above him was one of the angels that all his fellow soldiers were always asking to watch over them. He felt it again, her hand sweeping across his forehead.

"Rest now," she whispered. "You're safe." 

End Chapter 1 – more soon!!!

Yes, more notes!A bit of shameless plug time…Stella: Yes, I have finished the Heero's Peace Sequel.Ff.net doesn't seem to want to update it, but it is posted, so you can find it if you go to my profile.And don't forget that this site is now sorting by "new chapters," for those of you who may want to look for chapter 2 to our little story here (to be posted very soon if you'd like us to continue).

So, THANK YOU all for reading ^_^ - Stella and Luvspook

PREVIEW, Chapter 2

She opened the door slowly, not wanting to wake him.Goodness knows he needed his rest, they all did.Tiptoeing towards his bed, she stopped to look at the young man whom she had held in her arms earlier that day, remembering his eyes – they were so deep, blue like the stormy sea, as if threatening to drown her if she stared into them for too long.And so filled with pain.It saddened her as much as it thrilled her to think of them.

He had said nothing to her when he woke, but merely reached out for her hand, perhaps to see if she were more than a figment of his delusional state."Rest now," she had said to him, and Relena whispered it again out loud now, almost as though it was her prayer for him.

Curling up in a nearby armchair, Relena opened a book, but found that she could not tear herself away from the sleeping man before her.She studied him, her eyes moving from the bandages on his arms, to the bruises covering his shoulders and face, to the thick brown locks of hair that hung loosely over his forehead.Relena had no idea how many hours had passed – how long she sat there mesmerized by steady rise and fall of his chest and the way his lips parted while he slumbered.But the moon was still high and full in the night sky when her own heavy eyelids closed, plunging her into a dreamless sleep. 

She awoke with a start, blinking to get her surroundings into focus as she noticed the dawn's first light creeping into the room.Panicked that something might have happened to Heero while she slept, Relena rushed to his side only to find him still breathing steadily, and fast asleep – or so it seemed.She turned to go back to her chair, her fingers brushing against the soft cotton bed sheet when a strong hand clamped down around her wrist.She whirled around with a gasp, again coming face to face with him, blue eyes sparkling in the pink morning light, so blue…

"Where am I?" he demanded, snapping her out of the trance.His voice was hoarse and strained, but commanding nonetheless as he struggled up into a sitting position."I said, where am I!"

More to come very soon – Thanks Everybody!


	2. Darkness and Light

"Woman, is that the best you can do

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Hi Everyone!Just a short sweet note this time – we swear!Well, it took us a bit longer than we had hoped, but here is the next chapter ^_^We hope you enjoy it! 

-Stella & Luvspook

Disclaimer:These characters do not belong to us, we just like to, um, play with them *evil grins*

** **

So, without further ado…

** **

** **

**"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us;   
what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."   
-_Albert Pike_**

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ACROSS ENEMY LINES

Chapter 2- Darkness and Light

The transport vehicle hiccupped over the uneven terrain toward the private estate of the young sovereign who had become their protector.Its occupants noticed little of the passing scenery as they sped along the bumpy country roads; their attention was fully turned to doing what they could for the two young men who were still clinging to life.

Against the far wall, Quatre and Sally worked diligently to calm the obviously distressed Li, who had regained consciousness only moments after being loaded onto the truck.Sally had set to the task of checking over the boy's wounds, as Quatre, with some help from Trowa, did his best to keep Li from thrashing around on the stretcher.Li's skin was cold and clammy to the touch, and Sally shook her head as she examined the deep lacerations covering both of his legs. She could see nothing to be hopeful about as she removed one of Quatre's makeshift bandages, feeling the fresh surge of blood pulse between her fingers. Blood loss aside, it was quite clear that the young soldier was slipping further and further into a state of shock, the seriousness of his situation only compounded by the evidence of infection surrounding the wounds. Even if she could replace what blood volume had been lost, her hopes of reconstructing what remained of the boy's legs were overshadowed with doubt.She spared a fleeting glance to where the other black-haired soldier sat, paling with every cry that fell from his brother's lips.She searched for a single comforting word for the young man who had refused to leave his brother's side, but found herself at a loss for such things as she re-wrapped the wounds.

Beside them, Sally could hear the other injured soldier beginning to stir, having been jostled awake as the truck lurched forward, then dropped back, passing over a particularly rocky patch of road in the process.Pain was etched deeply into his features, and even in his semi-conscious state, his arm was still wrapped tightly around his midsection.Sweat mingled with the remnants of dried blood on his face and neck, turning it a faint scarlet hue, which deeply contrasted the paleness of his skin. 

Having done what she could for Li, she made her way over to Heero, where the cheerful soldier with the long chestnut braid sat talking to his wounded friend.It was apparent to Sally that Heero was beyond comprehending anything his comrade was saying, but she gave Duo a reassuring smile for his efforts, anyway.

"How's he doing?" She asked as she knelt down, capturing Heero's wrist with the tips of her fingers, feeling the steady thrum of his pulse fall into far too fast a rhythm. 

"Who?Mr. Perfect Soldier here?"Duo replied with a chuckle."Knowing him, he'll probably get all worked up that you guys found us, and start spouting out a bunch of stuff about marching back out to the woods to fight the enemy."

Duo averted his gaze as Sally peeled back the layers of blood-soaked bandages to view the gash in Heero's side, and sighed her relief to see that for the most part, it had stopped bleeding.Resting her hand against his forehead, she hadn't realized that a frown had inadvertently reached her features, and was surprised when Duo's tone turned more serious.

"He is gonna be all right, isn't he?"He asked, with an uncharacteristic expression of concern.

"Well, it looks like he's…"Sally had started to say, her mind working through the possibilities of both blood loss and the cause for his fever, when she was met with two wide violet eyes that seemed to eager to hear only one thing."He's going to be just fine."She answered, firmly, smiling up at the young soldier until she could almost believe it herself. 

'The sooner we reach Peacecraft Manor, the better.'She thought.

* * * * *

It was uncharacteristically cool for a mid-summer morning as the sun stretched lazily across the sky, chasing the last of night's shadows away.She had received the summons a mere nightfall ago; her destination a small military installation near Koblenz, rumored to be little more than a dank, underground bunker along the Belgian border.They had driven through the night, twisting aimlessly through the back roads of Europe's dense forests, until no doubt remained that her driver had become hopelessly lost. Yet there, inconspicuously carved into the side of a small embankment, was the base; and outside it, the flurry of young German troops quickly set her back at ease.

Apparently, the sight of the black Mercedes she was traveling in caught the soldiers' attention, for before it had even come to a complete stop; the door was suddenly wrenched open, allowing her to step out.

"Heil Hitler!" The young soldier greeted enthusiastically, saluting the stern young woman with an outstretched arm.

"Heil Hitler…" She replied, monotonously, the cold edge to her voice causing the young man to move back a step.

She said nothing else as the soldiers cleared a path to the entrance, most averting their gaze as she pushed past them.

The young woman was well dressed, bearing the mark of distinction as a member of the notorious Gestapo, or Secret State Police. Her skin was pale, her lips the color of blood, and her eyes held in their depths a cold and calculated detachment that ensured anyone who met her that she had earned her rank well. Her long, mahogany locks were tied back into two neatly kept buns and cradled at her neckline by the high collar of her midnight blue coat.There was determination in her stride as she entered the compound, finding the reason for her summons as soon as she crossed the threshold of the bunker's front entrance.

"Mister Treize…"

"You're looking well, Lady." The young Aristocrat replied, turning to face her. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he spoke, an obvious attempt to charm the younger female officer with his charisma and the sheer elegance of his words. "Tell me…How long has it been?"

"Far too many days, sir." Came her ever stoic, and nearly autonomous reply, though the faint glint of emotion flashing in her eyes did not go unnoticed, earning her a smile of a far more genuine nature from the handsome man across from her.With a swift motion, he gestured for his subordinates to depart before waving his guest closer to his side.

"So tell me, Lady Une, what news have you from Berlin?"

"Aircraft and munitions output has increased significantly," She reported quickly, a touch of hesitation peeking through her words. "But with the recent Allied invasion in Normandy, there is talk about the necessity for ensuring our strategic objectives."

"Our Fuhrer is flying in the face of all logic, my dear Lady. I'm afraid that his actions as of late have made him far too many enemies within his own ranks. His plans to push forward with this losing battle are ideas born out of desperation. The time has come for us to focus on our own objectives. The need to take matters into our own hands has become our greatest certainty in this war."

"I understand, sir," she replied with a slight nod."Our carefully placed operatives have given us very little to go on." Une stated, coldly."Furthermore, they failed to warn us of the Normandy attack. However, we have obtained certain information that could prove quite useful to us. It would seem that Colonel Bundt of Luxembourg has received correspondence from that bothersome diplomat Darlian of the Sanq Kingdom. In this letter, there is vague mention of a weapon. One with the potential to overthrow Hitler and the Reich."

"I see…" Treize replied, calmly, almost as though he had expected such news, though in truth in came as quite a shock. "What type of weapon?"'That's an odd piece of information' he thought to himself, 'a great weapon in a pacifist nation?'

"I'm afraid that we couldn't ascertain any specific data from Darlian's letter."She answered quietly. "But the Sanq Kingdom is one of the more prosperous and problematic of Germany's unoccupied neighbors. Their resources could be quite valuable in aiding our soldiers should we chose to launch an attack against them. It is widely known throughout the Reich that the sovereign of that nation has provided aid and sanctuary to the Allies on a number of occasions. It would be a shame for a pacifist nation such as theirs to be caught in the crossfire of this war. Under our control, we could offer its citizens our protection." 

"Such offers would be refused, unless proposed under the correct circumstances." Treize stated, firmly, his thoughts turning to the words of promise spoken nearly five years before. A promise made to the young fighter pilot that had made such a difference in the tide of the war. His oath to spare the Sanq Kingdom, and the young princess who upheld its gentle, peaceful ways. "Are you certain that these reports from Colonel Bundt are well-founded?"

He looked up in just enough time to catch the flash of surprise cross her features, before her stony façade was once again raised. She was taken aback by his words, and he thought it best to add logic to his reasoning, as she stood fumbling for a response.

"I've known Bundt for a number of years, Lady Une. He is not above creating such lies in order to divert attention from himself. If the right people believed such accusations, it would certainly win him favor in the eyes of the Fuhrer."

"But if he is telling the truth, obtaining such a weapon would place the power to lead Germany to victory in our hands." She offered, in conclusion.

"We don't need to furnish anyone with a reason to attack the Sanq Kingdom…fabricating just cause is, as you know, well within your means." He sighed softly. "Do as you see fit…I place Germany's future in your hands."

* * * * *

"Woman, is that the best you can do?" Wufei growled, casting a fierce glare in the direction of the room where Sally was tending to his brother, watching as one of her assistants scurried out looking for gauze.He had refused to leave Li since they had arrived at the Peacecraft Manor, choosing instead to pace the length of the infirmary for the last several hours.Though he had given Li a pint of blood through a transfusion, Wufei still rejected any food, water or medical care for himself until he had word of his older brother's condition.

Finally the door to Li's room opened and she walked out slowly, her white coat stained with crimson.He fought the urge to look away, feeling his stomach churn at the sight of all the blood, and so he stared past her, focusing on the door.The young doctor removed her coat, and moved forward to address the seemingly hostile black-haired man standing before her.He looked too young to be a soldier, she thought to herself.He seemed as though he were little more than a child himself."Wufei – that's your name, right?"Sally asked, trying to keep her voice steady, knowing that the news she was about to deliver might very well send him into a rage – or worse.He stood still and rigid, not answering her, his silence commanding her to continue.Sally gathered her nerves and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry…" she started, feeling her face fall after just two words.She didn't have the opportunity to say anything else, all she could do was watch helplessly as Wufei fell to his knees and let out a guttural cry of pain, like a wounded animal.He stayed there, fists clenched at his side, body shaking, staring at the polished tile floor for a few moments before he pushed himself back to his feet.

"NO!" He yelled, shaking his head, repeating the word silently over and over before looking Sally in the eye."I don't believe you!" he shouted, racing past her and careening through the doors to where she had just come from.Sally followed in silence, carefully catching hold of one of the still swinging doors and slipping inside.There she watched him.He had stopped a few feet away from the bed, fixated on the figure with a blood-splotched white sheet draped over it.No signs of life were evident; it made no movement – no sound.Their ears were only met with the stillness and deafening silence that accompanies the departure from life.

The daylight was fading, casting the last golden rays through the window and across the bed.Wufei walked slowly to where his brother's body lay, and gently folding back the sheet so that he could see Li's face.They had washed away the blood and dirt, Wufei noted, and they had closed his dead brother's eyes and folded his arms, yet he did not look peaceful."Brother…" Wufei whispered, noticing the ashen hue of Li's skin – the pallor of death, yet still somehow willing him to wake."It can't end like this!It won't!" he screamed, choking back tears. Sally felt her own heart break for him as he continued to stand silently over the bed.

After quite some time, his posture seemed to relax, and he reached out to replace the sheet, but stopped before covering the dead young man's face."I will avenge you, brother," Wufei vowed, laying a hand on Li's cold cheek."And then you will be at peace."

***

"My compliments to the chef!" Duo Maxwell mumbled between bites of roasted chicken and potatoes, which he was shoveling into his mouth at an astounding rate.Relena, raising an eyebrow as she watched her braided guest, wasn't sure whether or not to be amused or horrified, but decided on amused as Duo thanked her for the thousandth time."I haven't eaten in DAYS!" he exclaimed, reaching for another helping of potatoes and then passing them on to Trowa and Quatre.The bruised and battered men that Sally had found in the forest were cleaned up and Relena's butler had found them all some fresh clothes, but right now she could tell that what they really needed was some sleep.

"You look exhausted," Relena said, casting a glance at the blonde medic who seemed as though he were ready to nod off face first into his plate of food."Why don't you go and rest, and I'll have Peygan bring dinner up to your room," she offered."All of you."

The three men slowly rose from the table to follow Relena, Duo reaching back for a chicken leg before they began the ascent to their sleeping quarters."One for the road," he smiled, chewing gleefully as they walked towards the stairs.Relena saw Duo and Trowa to their rooms while Quatre went to look in on Heero, who was just down the hall.

"I really should stay with Heero in case there's a problem," Quatre said, stifling a yawn."And I should check on Li also…" 

"Sally's taking care of him.She'll do her best, I know."

Quatre nodded and walked towards his room."Just let me get a blanket and I'll be down the hall."

Relena spoke up without hesitation."You need your rest, I'll stay with him.Heero is his name?"Quatre answered again with a nod and Relena looked at him assuredly."If he needs you, I'll come and get you right away.Please try to sleep."

"Thank you, Miss Relena," Quatre smiled, fighting to keep his eyes open."Thank you and your people for all you've done for us today."

"This war is a dreadful thing," she said quietly, bowing her head."We must do what we can, for each other."

"Yes…"A moment of silence passed between them, Quatre quietly regarding the young woman standing across from him.There seemed to be something about her that reached far past her tender age, an inner strength that was evident in her blue-green eyes to anyone who cared to look for it."Goodnight then, Miss Relena."

"Goodnight," she smiled, and turned to make her way back down the corridor, stopping off at the guest wing's library to find a book to help her pass the night.

*****

She opened the door slowly, not wanting to wake him.Goodness knows he needed his rest, they all did.Standing at the doorway, she could hear the feverish wheeze of his breathing and the rustling of the sheets as he thrashed from side to side.Tiptoeing towards his bed, she stopped to look at the young man whom she had held in her arms earlier that day, remembering his eyes – they were so deep, blue like the stormy sea, as if threatening to drown her if she stared into them for too long.And so filled with pain.It saddened her as much as it thrilled her to think of them.

He had said nothing to her when he woke, but merely reached out for her hand, perhaps to see if she were more than a figment of his delusional state."Rest now," she had said to him, and Relena whispered it again out loud now, almost as though it was her prayer for him.

She reached out, placing a hand on his burning forehead.'Much too hot,' she thought to herself, and debated whether or not to run right back down the hallway and fetch that poor exhausted medic who had probably fallen asleep by now.Instead she filled a basin with some cool water, and dabbed it onto his face.This seemed to settle him, and so she stayed by his side, filling and refilling the basin again and again.After a long while, Heero's forehead began to feel a great deal cooler, so Relena retreated to a nearby armchair.She curled up and began to open her book, but found that she could not tear herself away from the sleeping man before her.She studied him, her eyes moving from the bandages on his arms, to the bruises covering his shoulders and face, to the thick brown locks of hair that hung loosely over his forehead.Relena had no idea how many hours had passed – how long she sat there mesmerized by steady rise and fall of his chest and the way his lips parted while he slumbered.But the moon was still high and full in the night sky when her own heavy eyelids closed, plunging her into a dreamless sleep. 

She awoke with a start, blinking to get her surroundings into focus as she noticed the dawn's first light creeping into the room.Panicked that something might have happened to Heero while she slept, Relena rushed to his side only to find him still breathing steadily, and fast asleep – or so it seemed.A smile of relief overtook her features as she lay her hand on his forehead, finding it as cool as her own.The fever had broken.

She watched him again, for a long time, and then reluctantly turned to go back to her chair, letting her fingers brush against the soft cotton bed sheet.Very suddenly a strong hand clamped down around her wrist.She whirled around with a gasp, again coming face to face with him, blue eyes sparkling in the pink morning light, so blue…

"Where am I?" he demanded, snapping her out of the trance.His voice was hoarse and strained, but commanding nonetheless as he struggled up into a sitting position."I said, where am I!"Relena felt a stab of fear run through her, and she looked down at his hand encircling her wrist painfully, and then up to his eyes again, blazing ferociously.She tried to pull away, but he held fast.Fighting the urge to cry out, she instead took a deep breath and answered his question.

"You… You are in the Sanq Kingdom, on the borders of France and Germany," she answered shakily, but he did not let go."We have no stake in the war, you're safe here," she explained as calmly as she could, relief flooding through her as recognition glimmered in his eyes and he released his vice-grip.She moved to the bedside table to pour him a glass of water, which he accepted gratefully, drinking hastily as she continued to speak."My name is Relena Peacecraft, and I am the princess of this country.I am bound by the oath I took when I became ruler to uphold my father's philosophies of pacifism.I will not battle with armies, but I do what I can for those who are fighting against the Reich."She refilled his glass, and watched his shaking hands as he fumbled, trying to bring it to his lips.The effort it had taken to hold onto her wrist just a few minutes ago seemed to have sapped what little energy he had.Looking at him tenderly, she seated herself on the edge of the bed and leaned in, covering his hand with hers and helping him to drink.

Heero watched the girl warily – he had known very little in the way of human kindness during his life, and couldn't help but be suspicious of it in any form.His eyes didn't leave her for a second, and he kept telling himself that it was because he couldn't trust her and had nothing to do with the fact that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.His angel at the edge of the woods; now he remembered… waking up ever so briefly… even still, how could he be sure she was an ally? 

"Are you hungry?" she asked, interrupting his thoughts by pushing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes for him, a small smile playing on her lips as she did so, he noticed.

"Why is a princess taking care of me?Don't you have servants for that?" he asked skeptically, the intense look on his face never softening.

Relena seemed undaunted by the questions, and continued to tend to him while she spoke."The house staff is very small," she explained while checking his bandages."Just because we haven't been occupied doesn't mean that the war hasn't affected us.We have a lot of people to feed, medical supplies are difficult to come by – what money is left in the treasury goes to helping the refugees who have made it safely within our borders.The Reich has tried to bleed us dry and wants us to beg for their help.But I will not!"She said defiantly, the intensity of her gaze rivaling his own."We can manage.They will NOT control us."

Heero still was not satisfied and continued unwavering in his interrogation."How did you avoid an invasion?" he questioned stiffly.

Her whole demeanor changed in a single instant, and Heero was taken aback at how quite suddenly she looked pale and weak, fragile and so very sad.She stopped what she had been doing, as if the thought of it all made her body go limp."My brother," Relena all but whispered, her head bowed."My…"

A sharp knock at the door stopped her in mid-sentence, and both of the room's occupants looked up to find Peygan, with Duo, Trowa and Quatre standing sullenly behind him."Excuse me, Miss Relena," the elderly butler said politely, bowing his head."But I have some rather sad new from Miss Sally.It seems that the other young man who was badly injured expired last evening."

Relena slowly raised herself from her perch on the edge of Heero's bed and glanced at her guests, genuine pity in her eyes."I'm so very sorry," she said, looking at each one of them in turn.Duo was the first to speak.

"We only just met him on the transport – we were all just leftovers from units that got demolished during the landing at Normandy.But still…"

"His brother – the other boy is his brother, correct?"Relena asked, and watched as they all nodded in affirmation."Please, one of you – ask him what we can do to help with proper funeral arrangements.We shall do everything possible to be of assistance."

"I'll go," Trowa offered, and turned to find his way to the infirmary room where Wufei sat, holding a vigil and praying over his older brother's lifeless body.As Trowa departed, Relena noticed that the fair-haired medic looked absolutely miserable.She searched her thoughts, trying to remember his name.

"Quatre?I…"She started towards him, but the young man only shook his head and stared at the floor.A tremble worked its way through his body.

"If only I'd been able to do more.I could have… maybe if I had…"

"You can't blame yourself," Heero spoke up from the bed across the room, in a tone that forced the blonde man to look up and meet his gaze.

"Yeah, we know you did what you could, buddy," Duo added, resting a hand on Quatre's shoulder.The medic looked unconvinced.

"It's just that… it wasn't enough…"Quatre sighed, and his voice trailed off as he walked with his shoulders slumped past Peygan and Relena to check on his remaining patient.

"I'll see that breakfast is brought up to you," Relena said cheerlessly, closing the door behind her as if trying to seal in the somber air.Peygan nodded and began to make his way to the kitchen, with Duo following in close pursuit.

*****

Duo returned alone, arms laden with plates of toast, eggs and sausages – half of which he had devoured on the way up.He found his comrades so deep in conversation that they barely noticed his entrance.Trowa had pulled a chair up to the bed, while Quatre leaned in from beside Heero, who had been propped up with a couple of pillows.Their voices were hushed, so Duo moved closer to hear the words passing between his fellow soldiers.

"…her brother, but she didn't go into detail," Heero offered, shifting his gaze from Quatre to Trowa.

"I don't understand how such a small kingdom could have slipped through the Reich's fingers," Trowa added, pushing his long bangs aside, allowing him to stare more intently as his comrades.

"So her brother, you said, Heero?"Quatre asked, turning his attention back to the still battered looking man in the bed.

"Yeah, I take it that he must be…"

"… in the high ranks of the SS.He calls himself Zechs Merquise."

All eyes turned to Duo."Hey," he said, setting down the plates on a nearby table."You learn a lot talking to the folks in the kitchen."He took their silence as an invitation to continue, but not before sitting down and helping himself to a few more bites of food.

"Well, according to Peygan and the cook, this guy's real name was Milliardo Peacecraft – heck, I'd change it, too if I was stuck with that kind of…"

"Duo, the point?" Heero all but hissed.

"Anyway," Duo said, casting a bitter glance in Heero's general direction before continuing, "About ten years ago, he and their father had some kind of falling out, and the old king disinherited him, so he left the country.A couple years later, Germany starts invasions all over the place, and in this region, a lord or earl or something named Treize Kushranada was in charge.Don't you know that Milliardo resurfaces as this Zechs guy working under Treize, and talks him into sparing the Sanq."

"Zechs Merquise… now where have I heard that?" Trowa wondered out loud, wracking his brain for the associations of the name.

"'The Lightening Count,'" Heero said dryly, earning bewildered looks from the others."He's Germany's best fighter pilot."

End Chapter 2

That was kind of a miserable place to stop, and just because we love you, we've included a little preview of the next chapter.

**PREVIEW**

"Can you move?" he asked, wondering just why she had made no attempt to get up.Had she been hurt?

She looked up at him, but gave no response.His voice sounded so far away; her ears were still ringing from the loudness of the explosions.She could feel the throbbing ache in her bruised left shoulder, and she slowly brought her right hand up to the back of her head, expecting to feel a flow of blood, but instead found it only swollen and tender to the touch.

"I, uh…" she faltered as he helped her to sit up."What _was _that?" Relena asked dazedly.She knew the answer, but she just didn't want to believe it.

"It was a bombing raid," Heero stated matter-of-factly, taking her hand as she attempted to steady herself on her own two feet.

"No…" she said quietly, still holding onto the back of her aching head."No, it can't be… Milliardo - he wouldn't."

-To be continued…

Thanks again for reading!We so appreciated all of your feedback from the last chapter, and we hope this one was worth waiting for.

Love to All!- Stella and Luvspook

PS – Check out "Wandering Heero" in Stella's profile – you never know, he could be coming to your town next!


	3. Good Night

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won

Oh, why oh why do I always seem to be the one writing the author's notes? 

*Stella sighs* I'll keep it short, I swear!

Hello again! I know it's been… eek! Six weeks since we've updated this story… I was so stuck with parts of this chapter, and Luvspook had all kinds of things happen to her over the last month, so I thought I'd be on my own this time. But low and behold, we've gained another author! The Black Rose has joined us, and co-authored this part with me, so without further ado (and babbling from Stella), here's the story.

And we know the disclaimer drill: None of own these characters – sad, it's so sad…

***

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it... always." 

-Gandhi 

ACROSS ENEMY LINES

Chapter 3 – Good Night

"Where'd Heero get to?" Duo wondered out loud as he and the others sat in the spacious library of the Peacecraft Manor's west wing. The four young men had retired to the room for the evening as Trowa sat at the edge of a long table, attempting to get an old radio that Sally had given him modified. They were hoping that he would manage to reach the secure frequencies and make some sort of contact with the Allied forces in order to inform them what had happened to the transport and receive new commands; telegraph lines to the front had been down for quite some time. 

Quatre looked up from the book he had been reading and spoke up in reply to Duo's question. "I haven't seen him since before dinner. I thought he went back to his room, but the door was open when I walked passed and it was empty. Maybe he went for a walk, I know all the 'resting' was getting to him." 

Duo smiled, thinking about the icy expression that crossed his injured friend's face every time Quatre instructed him to stay in bed. The medic turned his attention back to his book, leaving Duo to look around the room, taking in the floor to ceiling shelves of countless books in intricately carved cases. Large portraits of past monarchs hung in gilded frames, their painted eyes glinting in the light cast by the chandeliers that lit the extravagant room furnished in shades of deep red and gold. 

By the window at the far wall, Wufei sat looking out on the setting sun, his eyes roving over the hill beyond the gate – to where Li had been laid to rest that morning. The funeral had been simple and solemn, practically non-existent, really. The others had not attended; he had wanted it that way. Three of the Sanq guards had helped him carry the casket, and the brother that had been by his side for as long as he could remember was commended to the earth, never to wake again.

Wufei's mind wandered back, still stuck on the events of earlier that day, back in the infirmary room. Before the other men were about to place Li in the coffin Sally had walked up to the surviving brother, holding something very tiny. His eyes followed the miniscule object between the tips of her fingers as she offered it to him, dropping it into his outstretched hand. A pearl. She had taken it from the pendant that she wore around her neck.

"To light his way to the afterlife," she said quietly with downcast eyes. Wufei was unable to say a word, at first utterly shocked that this woman knew of the Chinese tradition of placing a pearl in the mouth of the deceased, and secondly, that she would do this for a person she hardly knew. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but she had to turn away – the look of loss on his face too painful for her to bear.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't save him," she whispered in a voice too low for the soldier to hear, and then quietly exited the room.

Wufei snapped out of his thoughts as a hand clapped him on the back. 

"Heck of a nice sunset out there, eh?" Duo grinned in an attempt to cheer him up. Wufei stiffened and ignored him entirely, still staring off into the horizon.

A few smart remarks flew through Duo's mind, but he held his tongue knowing that the fellow had just buried his brother that morning. He felt that stifling twinge of remorse grab his heart, threatening to chill his soul entirely and in an attempt to lessen its effect, turned away to offer up a lighter subject for discussion.

"Hey," the braided soldier called out with forced cheerfulness, causing Trowa to glance up from the dismantled radio, "I never asked you guys where you were from." 

Quatre set his book down, looking eager to talk about anything besides fighting and war wounds. "Chicago," he offered. "Born and raised."

"New York here," Duo said walking back across the room. "I wasn't born there, but I lived in the city for as long as I can remember." He paused for a moment, seeming lost in thought. "I think I miss that skyline the most, you know? At night when the skyscrapers are all lit up, and the sky is clear with the stars out… nothing beats that."

"I miss my family," Quatre remarked softly, a twinge of sadness evident in his voice. "My sisters – even my father, though he hasn't spoken to me since I enlisted. He was against my joining the army, becoming a doctor. I haven't heard from him, but I've gotten a few letters from my sisters. At least I know they're all well."

"So you have a big family, Quatre?" Trowa asked from his place at the table, the question being answered with a chuckle from the soft-spoken medic.

"You could say that," he laughed. "I have more sisters and step-sisters than I can keep track of! But we're all very close. My mother died when I was young, so they all helped raise me." 

Duo nodded, "Both my parents died when I was just a little kid. I grew up on the streets, pretty much, until one day when I picked the pocket of this priest. He caught me, and could've called a cop because there was one standing on the corner. " A wistful grin crossed Duo's features as he shared his memories. "Instead, he took me back to his church. The nuns fussed over me so much that Father Maxwell said I could stay. He really has been like a dad to me, and I had no last name when I went to enlist, so I used his."

Quatre glanced quizzically at his comrade. "So he wasn't angry when you signed up?"

Duo crossed his arms and reclined back into the sofa. "Well, he wasn't happy about it. I think he was hoping that I would be priest someday, too," he said with a shake of his head, as though the idea wasn't likely. "But he said that God leads us down our paths in life for a reason. I do miss him though – and the sisters." Looking over his shoulder, Duo twisted around to look at the man still determinately hovering above the pieces of a radio. "Hey, what about you, Trowa?" 

"I don't have any real family that I can remember," Trowa said, turning in his seat to face them, having momentarily given up on his project. "I traveled with a group of drifters for most of my childhood, but I've lived in Kansas for the last couple years. We were passing through Wichita a while back and needed money, so the bunch of us took a job working on the harvest for a small farm just outside the city. The people who owned it took me in and let me stay when the others moved on. The Blooms, well, they're pretty much like family to me."

Duo sat there, drumming his fingers on the armchair and processing all the information, but suddenly he stopped and raised an eyebrow, smirking. "So, aside from your sisters, Quatre, any special ladies waiting for either of you back home?" He looked from one to the other. Trowa seemed unaffected, but Quatre reddened a little at the question.

"No, not really," he answered shyly, looking from Duo to Trowa.

"Catherine, the Blooms' daughter – but she's more like a sister to me," Trowa said, pushing his long bangs out of the way and resuming his efforts with the radio.

"And you, Duo?" Quatre asked.

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair as he began to answer. "Not unless you count the nuns," he smiled. "Sister Helen told me that she'd keep praying for me. Must be working, I'm still in one piece. I got a letter from her just before we shipped out for Normandy."

Quatre smiled. "It's always nice to hear from home."

It was at that exact instant that the radio crackled to life. Trowa sat back abruptly, surprised that he had actually managed to get the thing to work. Unable to make out what was coming through in the waves of static, he reached out and adjusted the various knobs and tuners until the sound became clearer.

Duo stood up and moved closer to the source of the noise as their ears were met with the strains of a familiar melody. A smile worked its way across his face as he began to sing along with the smooth tenor coming through the speakers. "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing," he bellowed, throwing his arms up and moving in time with the beat.

"Trowa," Quatre called out, shouting over the music and standing up as well, "You must have picked up a signal from the States!"

A hint of a grin tugged at Trowa's lips as the music stirred up more memories of home, and he joined the other two men across the room singing along. "It don't mean a thing, all you gotta do is sing!" The three of them laughed between steps; each showing off some of the moves they had learned in their hometown dance halls. For just a little while, it seemed as if they were back home.

It wasn't long before all of the commotion drew Wufei's attention away from the quickly darkening landscape outside. He turned around, scowling disapprovingly at his comrades, and stood up, storming towards the door with tightly clenched fists. "If that's what you're going to do with your time," he spat in a low voice, annoyed that they had given up on their effort to contact the Allies for orders, at least for tonight. So intent was he in his sour thoughts that he just barely avoided colliding with Relena in the doorway. Without a word, he pushed passed her, and the bewildered young woman's eyes followed his retreat down the hallway before turning her attention back to what was going on in the room. She'd heard all the noise from her office down the hall, and had come to investigate. Leaning against the paneling at the room's entrance, amusement twinkled in her eyes as she watched the three of them.

Duo was the first to notice her presence. "Princess!" he called, stopping in mid-step and winking at her good-naturedly. Relena had become accustomed to his lack of formality in the short time she had known him, and found that it didn't bother her in the least. She gave him a shy smile of her own as he walked towards her, holding out his hand.

"Tell me, pretty lady, do you know how to swing?" She shook her head, giving him a puzzled look, and Duo took her hands. "It's real easy, just like this…" he instructed, showing her the basic steps. "Go on, try it!" 

Relena mimicked him, hesitantly at first, but fell into the rhythm after just a few moments. Seeing that she was getting the hang of it, her dancing partner grinned wickedly, and without a word, spun around, releasing her hand and catching it behind his back in order to whirl her around until they were again facing each other. Relena laughed, nearly out of breath, as she was spun again and this time caught by Quatre.

"May I cut in?" he asked in a charming tone, leading her into another dizzying succession of turns and then handing her off to Trowa. Before Relena knew what was happening, his strong arms lifted her off of the floor and she found herself being tossed over his shoulders, but held securely and placed safely back on her feet only moments later. They stood still as the song concluded, casting wary glances at each other and smiling at the same time, feeling as though they had stopped the war and stolen a forbidden moment of joy. All of them knew that it had been far too long since they had laughed like that.

Trowa looked up as a shadow darkened the doorway. Heero's familiar silhouette quickly dissipated as he stepped farther into the room. Upon his entrance, the radio began to play a slower song, and Duo, who was standing next to Relena, took her hands again and began to dance, but his movements were far too quick for the tempo of the music. "Just showing the Princess a few steps, buddy," he said to Heero, twirling Relena around as his friend approached. "But it's awfully hot in here. I think I need some air. You're a great dancer, gorgeous," he winked again at the woman across from him. " But I'm sure Heero has a few moves of his own that he'd like to show ya!" 

Duo's violet eyes sparkled mischievously as he released Relena's hand in the middle of the spin, sending her flying in a flurry of whirling blue silk and long golden hair to be caught by Heero. Trowa, along with Quatre who was trying not to laugh, fell in line behind Duo and exited the room. Quatre couldn't claim to know Heero very well, but there was something in his new friend's eyes and demeanor that he couldn't quite describe whenever the princess who had been so kind to them all was present. 

***

She came to a stop within the circle of Heero's arms and looked up at him with a smile that quickly faded when she took in the grim set of his jaw, the tightly closed eyes and the ashen pallor of his cheeks. She felt the tremor of what had to be pain course through his body and instantly became concerned. She quickly moved her hands up to undo the buttons of his dress shirt in order to inspect the damage. 

"I'm…I'm so sorry," she whispered, a feeling of panic invading her senses as her fingers trembled along with the tears that had come to her eyes. She worked the buttons opened and pulled the stiff material aside. She gasped at the spots of fresh blood that already stained the outermost white cloth of the bandages that dressed his tender wound. She needed to make sure that she hadn't torn any of the flesh around the delicate stitches and so her hand traveled further to move the fabric aside.

"I'm fine," he protested, annoyed that he was having trouble moving his arms. He wanted to push her away, but was unable to as pain continued to radiate through his upper body. She didn't appear to hear him, continuing to work at peeling aside the bandages, still intent on checking for fresh damage to the gash in his side. _She shouldn't be so concerned for me_, he thought briefly as he finally got the pain under control and reached down to stop her ministrations.

"I said I'm fine," he repeated in a cold tone, opening his eyes to glare down at her, but was instead surprised to see hurt flash briefly in her eyes just a moment before she turned her gaze towards the floor. Regret washed over him in a heavy wave and he closed his eyes when he heard the barely whispered apology fall from her lips.

She had been so kind to him; he had never known such kindness in his life, and he felt the desire to make amends for the unjustified pain he had just caused her. The soft melodic strains of the song on the radio reached his ears and though he didn't know what to say to the woman standing before him in order to set things right, she had seemed to like dancing with his comrades. In an attempt to sooth her distress, he moved closer, pulling her gently towards him until her head rested lightly on his chest. He began to sway in time to the music and saw her close her eyes as her body began to move with his own. 

He brought his right arm up to encircle her waist, and he looked down intent on studying the woman he was holding. It was unsettling, this closeness, yet strangely comforting at the same time. Over the past few nights, he found that he had grown accustomed to her presence in his room, watching over him, soothing him. He even began to look forward to time of night when he would feel her delicate fingers on his forehead checking for a fever, and her soft hand brushing against his skin as she adjusted the covers of his bed, when he would hear her gentle voice as she spoke aloud to him when she thought he was asleep, telling him things that her father used to say and how she wished for peace…

He took a deep breath and couldn't help but breathe in her perfumed scent; it was the same delicate fragrance that lingered in his room long after she had retired to her own quarters for the night. He glanced downward, and noticed a loose lock of hair hanging in her face and gave in to the compulsion to brush it gently back into place. Her eyes darted up as he did so, meeting his so intensely that he was almost startled by the sudden burst of blue-green color staring back at him.

"Heero…" she breathed in askance, her soft voice reaching his ears and catching in his chest. There was something he needed to tell her, he thought vaguely as her hand reached up to clasp the one that was resting on her cheek. He traced a line along her chin with his thumb, and almost gave into the unfamiliar urge that settled over him. 

"Thank you," he said, pulling away slightly only to see her eyes widen with surprise and regard him strangely. 

"For… for what?" Relena stammered in reply, blushing at their closeness and finding herself once again drawn into those deep blue eyes that were staring down at her – at least for the moment.

"For taking care of m-…" he looked away for just an instant, "For taking us all in," he corrected, his posture stiffening a bit.

"Oh…" she murmured glancing away and shifting somewhat uncomfortably from one high-heeled foot to the other. She didn't miss the sudden tension that crept into his shoulders and the arm that was holding her so tight. She could tell there was something else he wanted to say to her, and felt anxiety move in along side the disappointment she was already feeling at his words. 

She couldn't explain why it was she cared so much for him, why she liked the feeling of him being so close to her, holding her, dancing with her. Almost as if sensing her thoughts, he stopped swaying to the beat of the husky melody. His gruff voice and cessation of movement interrupted her thoughts.

"Especially when you have such close ties to the enemy."

She gasped in astonishment at his words. "Is that what you think?" She asked, looking up to search his eyes for some hint of humor or anything suggesting this was nothing more than a cruel joke, but his gaze was cold and unwavering. 

Relena broke from his embrace and squared her shoulders. "I've told you before; we have no stake in the war. In fact I've done everything I can to thwart the Reich's efforts here."

"I meant to Zechs Merquise," Heero replied, his ever-watchful eyes noting her defensiveness at the simple statement.

"You mean Milliardo? My brother may be your enemy, but he is not mine. Though my father disowned him, he still protects his homeland. He would never allow Germany to take us."

Heero blinked in marked disbelief, finding her complete faith in this man difficult to fathom – it was endearing and disconcerting at the same time. And he understood then that what he was about to say was going to hurt her terribly. Regardless, Heero knew he had to tell her now, in hopes that perhaps they could find away to keep the inevitable from happening. 

"Germany will take this kingdom, Relena. I saw the plans when I was captured behind the lines. Sanq has been targeted, and without defenses, you will fall and the Reich will take everything that you have." He watched the frown form on her face at his words, but pressed on. "Hitler's getting desperate and he needs all the resources he can get. Your brother's promises mean nothing to him."

The sweet expression that normally graced Relena's features had long since disappeared, and her lips now formed a thin line as she glared at the blue-eyed soldier venomously. "That's not true! Germany's been invading for years, and the Sanq has always been safe. Milliardo swore that…"

Heero shook his head, and once again reached for her arm. "The Reich will come, Relena. You're being foolish if you think otherwise," he said, his voice remaining calm and matter-of-fact. She pulled away from him completely, and he felt the breath go out of his body when he saw the mix of pain and anger on her face as she fought to blink back the tears that stung at her eyes.

"Who are you to presume to tell me that I am foolish?" She spat, her voice rising as she lost her battle with the tears. "Fighting is foolish, Heero – killing each other, now THAT is foolish! What you are saying isn't true, you are mistaken! My brother would not let such a thing happen, so weapons in this country are unnecessary. We are not now, nor will we ever be a part of this war!" She quickly turned on her heel and nearly ran from the room, her shoes clicking on the floor and echoing through the vastness of the room. As she retreated to her office a few doors away, she barely noticed the other three American soldiers making their way back towards the library. They froze in their tracks at the sight of her, looking at one another in question as to what could have upset the young woman that had been so kind to them. Her office door slammed shut, and so they walked swiftly in the direction of the room she had just come from to find out what the source of her distress could have been. What they found was Heero, standing alone in the middle of the library, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he stood facing the windows.

"You've really got a way with the ladies, there, buddy," Duo said sarcastically as they walked through the doorway. Heero turned slightly, but made no response. Duo, however, was undeterred and pressed the matter. "Just what did you say to her?"

"I told her Germany was going to invade her country, no matter what her brother said."

Duo leaned against the wall and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, well I can see how that might ruin the moment. You could have said, 'Gee, Princess, you look lovely tonight,' or 'May I have this dance…' But no – you have to say 'Germany's invading your country.' Man, you are one smooth fella. Remind me NEVER to ask you for romantic advice," the braided soldier quipped with a roll of his eyes.

"Romance has nothing to do with it," Heero replied flatly, still not bothering to look in Duo's direction.

"Right, whatever you say, pal." Duo glanced over to where Quatre and Trowa stood at the door, and then back at Heero. "So, I take it that you didn't kiss her."

"Get lost, Maxwell."

"Is that a no?"

Heero turned and shot a threatening glare in his comrade's direction. 

"Ok, that's definitely a no – pay up you guys!" Duo called out over his right shoulder. Quatre and Trowa began digging through their pockets as Duo pushed away from the wall and walked over to them with his palm outstretched.

"Five bucks each was the bet, I believe, gentlemen," he grinned, collecting his winnings. 

Heero moved towards the others, eyes slanted in irritation. Duo hooked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing at his friend, but addressing the losers of the bet. "I knew he wouldn't be able to pull it off – even if she is rather taken with him."

"What do you mean by that?" Heero all but growled through his clenched teeth.

"Oh come on!" Duo howled. He turned to glare at Heero and then shook his head. "I used to think you were a real smart guy when we were stationed back in France, but I think that plane crash must have messed up your head." 

Trowa stood back watching the scene unfold, wondering to himself if Heero was feeling strong enough to punch Duo in the mouth, because it certainly looked as though he wanted to.

"Hey," Duo asked, looking from Quatre to Trowa, "Am I wrong or does the princess have a bigtime crush on our soldier of fortune over here?" 

The communications officer pushed his long bangs aside, nodding in agreement. Quatre reddened slightly as he smiled and nodded as well. 

Duo looked satisfied, and showed no signs of letting up. He turned back around to Heero and nudged him playfully with a wide grin. "And you're sweet on her, too – admit it!"

It was then that Quatre noticed Heero's fists clenching at his sides, and decided that he best try to put an end to the situation before he had two injured men on his hands. "Heero, we should probably get you back to bed," the medic suggested warily, attempting to usher his patient through the doorway as Duo continued to laugh.

Heero shrugged out of Quatre's grasp and looked menacingly at each of them in turn. "I'm glad this is all one big joke to you," he seethed, and shoved Duo aside as he left to go back to his room. 

***

The wounded soldier lowered himself slowly onto the bed, sucking in a breath and holding it until he managed to lie down, then exhaling slowly as the pain in his side dulled to an ache. The sheets were cold because the window had been open all evening, but the tired young man decided he lacked the conviction to lift himself back up to go and shut it. In the distance, a clock chimed the late hour and it occurred to him that she was usually here at this time, sitting beside him as he drifted in and out of sleep. His body was exhausted, yet his mind would not let him rest. He lay there, his thoughts unconsciously going back to her, trying to figure out what was bothering him most; the fact that she was in danger and refused to believe it, or the fact that he had upset her so much and made her cry. 

He could still hear her voice, strained by her emotions, "Fighting is foolish, Heero… Killing each other, now THAT is foolish!" Is that what she thought of him? That he was just some fool fighting for the sake of fighting? And why should that bother him? But for a reason he couldn't explain, it bothered him very much.

His thoughts were cut off by the sound of footsteps in the hall, growing louder until they stopped at his door. Heero closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep, not wanting to talk to anyone – it was probably just Quatre coming to check on him anyway, since he felt sure that Relena wouldn't be coming to stay at his bedside tonight. The idea of her not being there disappointed him, and he let a frown settle on his face as he heard the doorknob turn. The swishing of a light fabric interrupted the silence of the room, and Heero suddenly realized that his nighttime visitor was certainly not Quatre as the familiar scent of Relena's perfume reached his senses, and he tensed momentarily, fighting not to give himself away. 

Relena ventured in further, moving silently towards the bed and its occupant. She watched him for a long time, just as she had done since the first night he and the others came to stay in her kingdom. His features never seemed to soften, she noted; he seemed just as determined in sleep as he did when he was awake – the look on his face the same as when they had talked in the library... A wave of remorse washed over her, and she let out a long sigh, remembering how she had behaved earlier that night. She'd had no right to speak to him like that, and had come here intent on apologizing, though admittedly, Relena was very relieved that she had found him asleep. 

Slowly, she moved his shirt out of the way and checked his wound – 'no more bleeding, that's good,' she thought to herself and gently folded the covers up to his shoulders. The princess quietly studied him again for a long time, and finally reached out to cover his forehead with her hand.

Heero felt his body relax with her touch, and hoped that she hadn't noticed the change. Her soft fingers danced along his hairline, smoothing back his disheveled mane and he could see her in his mind's eye; her long golden hair glinting in the light coming through he window, and that hint of a smile. Heero reveled in his waking dream, but became alert when he realized that she had begun to speak.

"I'm sorry, Heero. I acted like such a child tonight and it was inexcusable." He panicked for a split second – did she know he wasn't asleep? Steeling himself to keep his breathing slow and rhythmic, he listened as she continued. "I know I should tell you all this when you're awake," she stopped, and Heero felt her weight shift on the bed as she fidgeted a bit. "But I find that I can't say the things I want to say when you're staring at me with those eyes of yours…" Again she paused, "I've never seen eyes like yours," she added in a whisper. 

__

"If only you knew what my eyes have seen, Relena – I can only hope that you will never know the ugly sight of war right outside your door," Heero thought quietly, trying not to flinch as the fabric of her sleeve tickled his arm.

The princess settled back into place, and continued to confide in him. "I know that it's silly to talk to you when you're asleep; I just can't help but feel that somehow you understand." She fussed with his covers, smoothing them over his chest. "I don't really have anyone here that I can talk to. They all look to me to keep things from falling apart, and if they knew how lost I feel sometimes, I think they would be really very frightened." A ragged breath escaped her lips, and he wondered if she was about to cry, but then he heard her take a deep breath and begin to speak again. 

"Anyway, I shouldn't have spoken to you that way earlier tonight, you were only expressing your concern. Now your fever is back and the last thing you should be doing is worrying for me. Milliardo, I know, does enough of that. And no, I don't make it easy for him, taking in refugees, deserters - and American soldiers," she said with a short, nervous laugh. "You may see him as your enemy, but you don't know him as I do… he is not a Nazi, not in his heart. Perhaps you would be suspicious of me for saying so, but it's what I believe. What the Reich has done is deplorable, and I loathe them for it, but I cannot hate my brother. I know he loves me dearly and he fights for me, too – he fights to put an end to this war, just as you and your friends do. I can't see it all in terms of just allies and enemies. All I see is people suffering because of politics and prejudices. He wants to stop that just as much as you do, that's why he fights…"

__

"Have you ever asked him why he chooses to do fight with the Nazis, though?" Heero asked her silently. _"Is he really so selfless? You believe in him so completely, but he stands with those you despise. I also fight for all the reasons you say he does – will you believe in me, too?"_ he wondered.

The princess stood up slowly, and moved to the table beside the bed. Dipping a cloth in the water basin, she set the dampened material on her patient's hot forehead. "I'm worried for you, Heero," she confessed in a whisper. "You must rest and get well, and while you are here in my kingdom, I will do whatever I can to keep you safe." She pulled a chair next to the bed, and wrung out the cloth before dipping it into the basin once again. 

"I…I've been praying since the war began, every night that it should end. But ever since we found you, I have added another prayer. I say one just for you, that you will survive and make it home to your loved ones, your family." She smiled tenderly down at him through the relative darkness. "I pray that you will be safe, Heero – that all of you will be, and that you won't have to fight anymore…." 

__

"You worry for everyone but yourself Relena. Who watches over you?" Heero asked in his mind before he silently made a vow to protect this young woman who was so strong she sought to carry the burdens of the entire world on her shoulders alone. 

Before replacing the cloth on his forehead, she leaned down and touched her lips to his fiery skin. "Maybe when this war is over, Heero, we can meet again. Maybe then things would be different and you could dance with me and feel peace in your heart instead of suspicion. Maybe then you'll be able to smile. I've never seen you smile." She rested her cheek against his for a few seconds, his feverish skin burning even more against the silkiness of her own. "Good night, Heero. Sweet dreams." Relena leaned back in the chair, and slipped into a deep sleep.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he made the decision to slowly open his eyes. The fever was getting the better of him, and his body screamed for rest, but his mind would not comply until he saw her. She had fallen asleep quickly, he surmised, and he turned his head slightly in search of her through the darkness of the room. Most of her face was hidden in the shadows, but all Heero had needed was a glimpse of her before he gave himself over to sleep.

"Good night, Relena…" 

***

She woke up to windows smashing around her, and she stifled a scream of horror as a loud blast rocked through the courtyard, lighting up the tree-lined driveway as the foliage burst into flames. Staring blankly ahead, Relena lifted a trembling hand to her face, feeling the tiny cuts on her cheek from the flying shards of glass. Was it a bad dream? Yes, it had to be. This wasn't happening, this wasn't… 

The roar of engines overhead began drawing near again, and Relena moved away from the chair by Heero's bed where she had fallen asleep and stood up, the chill of the night air biting at her through the shattered windows. "Heero?" she asked out loud, carefully making her way towards one of the windows, trying to avoid the sharp pieces of glass that were littering the floor. Her eyes frantically searched the room, stopping at the empty bed – there was no sign of him. No sooner had she come to stand at the nearest window than the manor was hit again. The jolt threw her to the floor, knocking the wind out of her. She slid across the cold marble towards the entrance to the room, stopping only when the back of her head and left shoulder slammed into the corner of the doorjamb. Gasping for breath, she attempted to lift herself up, but found she lacked the strength. The wounded princess could feel the frigid stone beneath her, and she closed her eyes, finding that all she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat, deafeningly loud. 

Moments later, the door flew open and a voice called out for her. She tried to focus on his face, but all she could see was his silhouette against the light. "Hee… Heero?" she stammered, mumbling his name as he limped towards her. Suddenly an explosion shook the building again, and she found the young soldier on top of her, shielding her with his own already battered body while even more glass and debris flew around them. 

They stayed that way, huddled on the floor, until the dust in the room began to settle and the only noises around them were the sounds of the wind rushing through the hollow windows, and the distant crackling of the burning trees outside. Heero coughed and Relena could hear the sounds of his labored breathing as he brought himself up to a kneeling position, glancing down at the healing wound in his side that was the cause of his discomfort. Noting that no farther damage had been done, he looked down at the girl still lying on the floor, just staring up at him.

"Can you move?" he asked, wondering just why she had made no attempt to get up. Had she been hurt?

She looked up at him, but gave no response. His voice sounded so far away; her ears were still ringing from the loudness of the explosions. She could feel the throbbing ache in her bruised left shoulder, and she slowly brought her right hand up to the back of her head, expecting to feel a flow of blood, but instead found it only swollen and tender to the touch.

"I, uh…" she faltered as he helped her to sit up. "What was that?" Relena asked dazedly. She knew the answer, but she just didn't want to believe it.

"It was a bombing raid," Heero stated matter-of-factly, taking her hand as she attempted to steady herself on her own two feet.

"No…" she said quietly, still holding onto the back of her aching head. "No, he wouldn't." Tears welled in her eyes as she let go of him and stumbled across the destroyed room, sharp pieces of glass and broken wood and stone cutting her feet along the way, but she seemed not to notice. Finally Relena came to the large opening where a floor to ceiling window had been, and stood at the edge, surveying the chaos below. The courtyard and entranceway were in ruins, the destruction evident as the light of the flames licked at the cloudy night sky. Everywhere there were shadows of the skeletal burnt out west wing, and her ears were met with the frantic yelps of the small team of gardeners fighting to put out the blazing trees.

In the meantime, the others had gathered at the door, silently watching the young woman wade through the remnants of the room.

"Heero, are you alright – Miss Relena?" Quatre asked quietly, genuinely concerned about the two of them. "Is she hurt, Heero?" the medic questioned.

"I don't…" Heero was interrupted as Peygan and one of the groundskeepers found their way to the corridor.

"Miss Relena!" Peygan called, gasping for breath and he came to a halt. The woman inside the room showed no signs of acknowledgement, she merely stood still with her back to all of them, still staring out at the scene before her.

"Are you hurt, Miss Relena?" Peygan tried again, still receiving no response. He moved past the four young men standing by the doorway and began to walk towards her. 

The groundskeeper spoke up upon the butler's departure. "Please, any of you that are well enough. We need all the men we can get to help put out the fires."

"Right," Trowa said as he and Duo fell in line behind the soot-covered man. Quatre turned to Heero, as he began to follow them.

"Heero, you can't," the medic commanded, giving his patient the fiercest look he could muster. "Please… don't argue with me, your wound still isn't healed." The dark-haired man standing opposite him still looked as though he were ready to protest, and Quatre realized that he must give him another task or else he would resist. "Do what you can to help Miss Relena," his comrade called over his shoulder as he ran to catch up with the others.

Heero still had half a mind to follow them all out to the burning courtyard, but thought better of it as a sharp twinge of pain jabbed at his abdomen. Instead, he turned his attention back to the decimated bedroom, watching poor Peygan still attempting to pick his way through the wreckage. But the kindly old butler stopped in his tracks when the lady of the house turned around and began to speak to him.

Her tears had come and gone – now there was something far greater than shock or sadness shining in her eyes.

"Peygan, help me pack my things. I am going to Austria to find Milliardo. He never would have allowed them to do this. He never…"

"Miss Relena, you can't go! You can't cross the enemy lines! There's a war going on out there," Peygan argued, raising his voice slightly, his concern for the girl who had become like his own child getting the better of him.

"I'm going. I'll find a way!" She shouted back furiously, and with that she began to trudge back across the ruined room. Relena walked past her stunned butler, but met some resistance as she arrived at the door. Heero stood in front of her, blocking her path.

"You can't go out there," he stated flatly.

No hint of fear or hysterics was in his voice. It was just as if he'd asked her not to do something terribly mundane. He could see the fury etched on her face as she stared up at him defiantly, yet he stood in the way.

"Do you want to get yourself killed?" he asked, again so calmly that it only served to agitate her further.

"Right now, all I want to do is save my people from the fate that has befallen all of the countries around us," she spat, trying to push past him.

He reached out and caught her arm, forcing her to turn around and face him. She whirled around, glaring at the man who held her, and with her free arm, raised her hand to strike him across the face for his trouble. 

Heero caught her hand a split second before it struck his cheek, but his eyes never left hers. "So you think you'll be able to save your people if you're dead?" 

She stopped, and he felt her body go limp in his grasp as the meaning in his words began to take hold of her.

"I…" Relena looked up, unable to answer. She never would have let anyone else speak to her that way, let alone listened to them if they had. But there was just something about him… Heero gently brought her arm down to her side before letting go of her as she continued to stare up blankly at him, the bewilderment of all the emotions flying through her being evident on her face.

"Miss Relena!" The cook and her assistant came charging down the hallway, the portly chef waving an envelope in her hand. She was very out of breath as she arrived before the young sovereign, and gave a half-hearted attempt at a curtsy as the assistant cook explained the details of the item they were delivering.

"One of the guards from the eastern border brought this, ma'am," she stated excitedly as her superior handed the envelope to Relena. It bore the telltale insignia of the Nazi party, and the princess hesitantly tore at the paper, finally lifting out the message contained inside it. 

The members of the household stared at her, waiting for the news. The paper suddenly took flight, fluttering gracefully to the floor as it slipped from her shaking fingers. Relena looked at the people gathered around her, then turned her attention back to Heero.

"It's from Milliardo… he's coming back." 

***

I promise we won't take so long next time! And keeping with tradition, here's an idea of what we're working on for next time.

Preview of Chapter 4

He walked alone from that point on and came to an abrupt stop in front of the riased platform at the end of the hall. The princess stepped down, moving just inches away from him, not able to speak as she fought to catch her breath. It was him… but at the same time, it wasn't…

His once sparkling and joyful blue eyes were steely and detached, as if ice had formed in the irises and continued to spread throughout his body. He was taller and seemed so much stronger, but in a fierce and brutal sense – not at all like their father's gentle and protective strength. The officer stood before her, rigid and silent – frozen at attention as if challenging his younger sister to find any trace of the brother she had once known, of the boy he had been. Relena shivered involuntary, and fought to keep her hand from trembling as she reached out for him.

"Milliardo," she whispered in a tone audible to no one but him. The cold eyes met hers and studied them intently. She took yet another step closer, and with that, he made a sudden movement, raising his right arm as if he were reaching out for her as well. Relena relaxed, smiling as she prepared to embrace the brother she has missed for so long. But instead of falling into his sister's outstretched arms, the SS Colonel moved aside and glared at the young woman.

"Heil Hitler," he said sharply, and watched has her arms fell back to her sides.

***

Let's hope for Luvspook's triumphant return to this fic for ch. 4. Until then, thanks for reading! Love, Stella, (Luvspook and Rose)


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